Boris Johnson's allies accuse Michael Gove of systematic and calculated plot to destroy his

[LeftishBrit]

leadership hopes.


Boris Johnson’s allies have accused Michael Gove of a “calculated plot” to destroy the former London mayor’s hopes of becoming Conservative leader by stealing his support in an act of “midnight treachery”.

Mr Johnson is considering whether to support Theresa May, the Home Secretary, after being forced to withdraw from the contest.

Friends of the former mayor said that there was a “very deep pit reserved in hell” for Mr Gove as they alleged that the Justice Secretary had been plotting to stand as a candidate for months. George Osborne was named as a co-conspirator...

Until Wednesday night, Mr Johnson had appeared the firm favourite to take over from David Cameron as Tory leader, and therefore prime minister. But shortly after 9am on Thursday, he learnt that he was the victim of the most spectacular political assassination in a generation. Mr Gove had failed to inform the former mayor before announcing that he had decided to stand after a late-night change of heart.

(More at link)


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/30/boris-johnsons-allies-accuse-michael-gove-of-systematic-and-calc/


OTOH, Boris et al have a nerve accusing anyone else of treachery or backstabbing, considering how he treated everyone from Cameron to the people of London to those who were fools enough to buy Brexit from him. OTOH, I'll never object to someone telling Gove to go to hell.

[BootinUp]

1. Its been a pretty disgusting display by the tories, no doubt about it. nt

[MADem]

2. Is it me, or is this a bit of a case of "Whoever smelt it, dealt it?"

One sleaze accusing another of sleazy behavior?

I feel sorry for the people of the UK, on the one hand, but on the other, I'm thinking 'At least someone's taking the attention away from Angry Tiny Paw Orange Face over on this side of the pond.'

[LeftishBrit]

3. Some dark humour on the subject

https://onsizzle.com/i/america-and-britain-are-having-a-competition-on-who-can-1128502

[MADem]

4. OMG, that IS funny!

For those who don't want to click:

[Night Watchman]

6. That IS Funny!

[TubbersUK]

7. Pretty much

Here we have Murdoch's Times, saying this morning that Boris went behind Gove's back and offered the PM ship up to Theresa May shortly after the referendum votes were counted i.e. Gove may have betrayed Boris but Boris betrayed Gove first.

Not the most edifying argument for rehabilitating Gove in the leadership race.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/07/01/run-for-pm-but-stand-aside-by-2020-johnson-aide-tells-theresa-may-5978036/

[MADem]

10. It's awful, having a choice between Dumb and Dumber....

Unrelated, save tangentially, I see they're earnestly discussing the idea of asking the MPs to just reject the idea out of hand:

An official campaign has been launched to try and get MPs to reject the result of the EU referendum.
Called Breentry, it simply involves sending a template email to your local MP.
The letter addresses the 52 per cent to 48 per cent split as ‘a poor mandate’ that was achieved by ‘misleading the electorate’.
The campaign was launched by Tom Spencer from London. He told Metro.co.uk: ‘Like so many others from the UK, I felt frustrated by the Brexit result, the quality of the campaign and the absence of a plan by our political leaders, particularly Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.


Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/28/theres-a-very-simple-way-to-campaign-for-breentry-5971758/#ixzz4D9Bb6CSo

The plays on the whole "BREXIT" theme are everywhere..."Breentry!"

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. So Johnson said to May "you sort out the mess I created, and then don't look for validation

in the form of even asking the voters to back you. I'll step in and take control, either taking the credit if it goes well, or blaming you if it doesn't".

If Boris really did suggest May step down before the 2020 election, his sense of entitlement is the size of the universe. No, even bigger - as large as Trump's.

[TubbersUK]

12. Nicely put :)

[Matilda]

13. I've been reading about May as well,

and she sounds like a Thatcher clone who'd probably be right at home with our Tory government - the people who think it's okay to lock up refugee children behind barbed wire fences, and think there's nothing wrong when a 10 year old tries to kill himself as a result of the mental and emotional torture.

Is there nobody who's half-way decent to choose from?

[LeftishBrit]

14. Is there nobody who's half-way decent to choose from?

No. Not among anyone who might stand for leader of the current Tory party.

I prefer May to Gove, because she is a bit saner and not quite so much in Rupert M's pocket; but you are right that she's pretty much in the Maggie mould.

The only person I can think of who might be able and willing to do it if pressed, and who would be an improvement on the current lot, is Ken Clarke; and he's retired, and the Brexiters would NEVER tolerate him.

[T_i_B]

15. Whilst I think Theresa May is the least worst...

I also still think that Tory grassroots are more likely to choose Gove or Fox on an "ideological purity" basis. Most of the ones locally to me campaigned hard for leaving the EU and will want a leader who did likewise.

[Surya Gayatri]

5. Proverbial filthy pot calling grubby kettle unclean...

"Boris et al have a nerve accusing anyone else of treachery or backstabbing"...no shit.

What a sad circus. An unprecedented display of buffoonery by a Britain that is rightly proud of its historical tradition of sane government.

Tell me Gove can't win, puleeeze! The prospect of a Prime Minister Gove is too much to contemplate.

[Night Watchman]

8. Gove's thunderbolt and Boris's breaking point: a shocking Tory morning

Boris Johnson learned that his old Oxford University friend Michael Gove had betrayed him at the same time as the public did.

The former London mayor was still favourite to be Britain’s next prime minister at 9.01am, as he prepared to launch his campaign at an upmarket hotel near St James’s Park.

But unbeknown to him, Gove, his Brexit running mate, had already decided to stand against him to be Conservative leader about nine hours beforehand.

Until Thursday morning, Johnson thought he had Gove on board as his campaign chair, a double act Tory MPs had already begun describing as the “dream ticket” to succeed David Cameron. The old Etonian had in no way suspected a threat from such a close ally.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/30/goves-thunderbolt-boris-johnson-tory-morning

The RCP headline was much less kind.

[TubbersUK]

9. Gove surrogates fight back

Boris betrayed Gove first, according to a story originating in the Times.

Boris Johnson offered to pull out the Tory leadership contest in return for an assurance from Theresa May that she would stand down before the 2020 election, it has been claimed.
An aide to the former London mayor reportedly made the suggestion to the home secretary in the hours following the vote to leave the European Union last week, The Times reports.

The claim will likely be welcomed by supporters of Michael Gove, who are looking for ways to justify what some commentators have a called a ‘betrayal’ of Boris Johnson.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/07/01/run-for-pm-but-stand-aside-by-2020-johnson-aide-tells-theresa-may-5978036/
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/685164/Boris-Johnson-secret-leadership-Theresa-May-tory-Prime-Minister-hours-EU-referendum

What a nauseating lot they all are.

[T_i_B]

16. Scary thought....

The Lib Dems are the only major party in England behaving like adults at present.

But will anyone notice? Not only has Tim Farron been anonymous as party leader, but they do still have credibility issues after the disaster of the coalition.